Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Patrik Nemeth split time between AIK’s J18 and J20 junior squads. In 16 games for the J18 Elit team, Nemeth scored 2 goals and added 6 assists for 8 points. He added 51 penalty minutes to his offensive totals. At the J18 Allsvensken, Nemeth netted 1 goal and added 4 assists for 5 points while picking up 72 penalty minutes. He also 4 playoff games for this squad, scoring 1 goal and adding 29 penalty minutes. For the J20 SuperElit squad, Nemeth played in 19 games, picking up no points and 43 penalty minutes.

2009-10: Nemeth split time between AIK’s J20 squad and the Allsvensekn squad. In 38 junior games, Nemeth netted 1 goal and 19 assists for 20 points while racking up 120 penalty minutes. In 5 playoff games for that squad, he scored 1 goal and added 2 assists for 3 points. In 16 games for the Allsvensken squad, Nemeth picked up 3 assists. He registered no points in 3 playoff games. Nemeth was named to Sweden’s U-18 WJC squad, picking up 2 assists and 8 penalty minutes in 6 games.

2010-11: Despite being a 2nd round pick in 2010 NHL Draft, Nemeth wasn’t expected to garner a ton of work in the Elitserien and was projected to perhaps spend some time back in the J20 Super Elit league. However, Nemeth was largely impressive from the get-go and garnered top-four minutes on the Elitserien club AIK. He also represented Sweden at the World Junior Championships stage. Nemeth has progressed very well as a defensive blueliner and will seek an expanded role on AIK next season.

2011-12: Signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by Dallas in April 2011, Nemeth returned to Sweden to skate for AIK in the Elitserien and also played for Sweden at the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He skated in 46 games for AIK, which finished seventh in the 12-team league. He was -3, averaging over 17 minutes of ice time per game, and had 3 assists and a team-high 55 penalty minutes. AIK reached the Elitserien playoff semifinals and Nemeth was an even plus-minus with 1 assist and 8 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games. Nemeth led all defensemen for gold medal-winning Sweden at the WJC with 5 assists and was plus-seven in six games.

2012-13: Nemeth skated for Dallas AHL affiliate Texas in his first season in North America. He played 47 games – missing time due to a concussion – and scored 1 goal with 11 assists; finishing +11 with 40 penalty minutes. He suffered his injury in February and made just one other appearance, suffering a season-ending injury in April. The Texas Stars finished first in the South Division and reached the second round in the playoffs.

2013-14: Nemeth made his NHL debut in April 2014 — skating in eight regular season and five playoff games for the Stars — spending most of the season with Dallas AHL affiliate Texas. He was -3 with no points and 6 penalty minutes, averaging 13:46 minutes of ice time in the regular season and was -2 with no points and 12 penalty minutes, averaging 15:16 of ice time in five playoff games. Nemeth played 37 regular season games for Texas, missing over two months after an injury in a December game. He scored 3 goals with 7 assists and was +19 with 32 penalty minutes. The Stars finished first in the West Division, taking an epic seven-game series with Toronto in the Western Conference finals before defeating St. John’s in five games in the Calder Cup finals. Nemeth re-joined Texas following the NHL playoffs and scored the Calder Cup-winning goal in overtime of Game 5 of the series against St. John’s, finishing the playoffs with 1 goal and 4 assists in 18 games, and was +5 with 8 penalty minutes.

Talent Analysis

Nemeth is a big defensive blueliner that has very good acceleration. He has a strong first step and a wide skating stride with only average top speed. He can make a fine outlet pass to start the transition but is not much of an offensive threat. Nemeth will charge down the slot to try to pick up loose change if the situation calls for it. He can be a little clumsy with the puck in his own end at times which leads to problems and he could stand to improve his awareness. Still focused on his positional play in his own end he should begin to make better use of his tremendous frame when he becomes more comfortable with his surroundings
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Future

Nemeth made the Stars out of training camp — skating in five games before suffering a serious injury in his first shift in a game against Philadelphia when he was cut on his arm by the skate blade of R.J. Umberger. The injury will likely keep him out for most of the rest of the 2014-15 season. Just getting acclimated to the NHL game when he suffered the injury, he will likely need time to get back up to speed when he gets back on the ice. Long-term he has the potential to be a sound second pairing defensive defenseman similar to another former Star who was also from Sweden — Nicklas Grossman.

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